About

Whaleman – Bringing Whales and Mankind together to preserve and protect our World!

The Whaleman Foundation is a public IRS 501 (c) (3) non-profit research, education, conservation, and wildlife film production organization dedicated to preserving and protecting our ocean world. Whaleman’s primary mission is to educate key decision-makers, while raising public awareness, on the issues that affect cetaceans (dolphins, whales & porpoises) and their critical habitats through our films, research, campaigns, and media outreach.

Since its inception, Whaleman has presented films to the United Nations, Congress, and the International Whaling Commission. In addition, our film footage and photographs have been featured worldwide in over 200 news stories airing on CNN, ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, the BBC, and Reuters.

Our first victory came when our film “Gray Magic: The Plight of San Ignacio Lagoon”, was presented to the December 1998 meeting of the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). This film was key in stopping Mitsubishi Corporation from building the world’s largest salt plant at Mexico’s San Ignacio Lagoon – a United Nations World Heritage Site and the last pristine mating and birthing grounds for the California gray whale.

Our film “Deadly Sounds in the Silent World”, winner of “Best Short Film” at the 2003 Jackson Hole Wildlife Film Festival, was presented to Congress in 2002 and played a pivotal role in banning the worldwide deployment of a lethal sonar system called LFA Sonar.

In 2006, “Deadly Sounds II” was presented and distributed to the delegates attending the United Nations Law of the Sea Meeting in June 2006, asking the UN to take the lead in regulating manmade underwater noise pollution. As a result, the UN has made the further study and regulation of manmade underwater noise pollution a priority.

The films we presented to the International Whaling Commission in 2000 and 2002 on the Makah Tribe’s illegal gray whale hunt helped to revoke the Makah’s US permit to hunt gray whales in the Olympic National Marine Sanctuary.

In 2002, our film “Orcas in Crisis” was presented to the US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and the Canadian Department of Fisheries (DFO) in an effort to get the US and Canadian Governments to place the Southern resident orcas on the endangered species list. Canada did so in 2003 followed by the US in 2007.

In Hawaii, we advocated for the creation of the Hawaiian Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary and its 5-year renewal. We worked closely with Maui County officials ensuring that dolphins and other marine mammals could not be held in captivity on Maui. We also opposed the expansion of Ma’alaea Harbor which would have destroyed coral reefs and vital sea turtle habitat.

Currently, through our “Save the Whales Again!” campaign, Whaleman is focusing its efforts on the following issues:

Continuing our efforts to stop all whaling by Japan, Norway, and Iceland and attending the annual meetings of the International Whaling Commission (IWC).

Continuing our efforts to stop the Japanese coastal dolphin drive hunts in Taiji, the Faroe Islands, and other coastal communities that slaughter over 20,0000 dolphins, porpoises, and small whales every year.

Fighting for the regulation of Ocean Noise Pollution at the upcoming meetings of the United Nations.

Continuing our efforts to protect Southeast Alaska’s Tongass Forest from a massive clear-cutting initiative that was approved under the Bush Administration’s deceptive “Healthy Forests Initiative”. The Tongass’ watershed, which encompasses Glacier Bay, a United Nations World Heritage Site, is the primary feeding grounds of the endangered North Pacific humpback whale and the spawning grounds of Alaska’s endangered salmon.

Continuing to produce hard-hitting Public Service Announcements (PSAs) to raise public awareness of the critical issues facing the overall health of dolphins, whales, and our oceans.

Continuing to produce films on the critical issues facing dolphins, whales, and our oceans. We also have a groundbreaking documentary film in pre-production. Due to the sensitive nature of this film, we cannot at this time reveal anything about it, but please stay tuned to our website for updates on this amazing film. You won’t want to miss it!

Along with our conservation efforts, Whaleman continues its ongoing support and participation in field research projects including the Hawaiian Islands National Marine Sanctuary for Humpack Whales long-term research study looking at the overall health of the North Pacific Humpback Whales.  In addition, Whaleman continues to support the long-term research of Gray Whales in San Ignacio Lagoon with Dr. Steven Schwartz of the U.S. and Dr. Jorge Urban of Mexico.

All of us at Whaleman strongly believe that international cooperation is the key to success on these issues. We are committed to capturing the rare and priceless images found in our ocean world in order to continue to preserve and protect it for ourselves and for all future generations, but we can’t do it without your help!